My 125g build thread

[thejoshdavis]

What kind of LEDs are you running? Looking good homie.

Bridgelux LEDs in a Chinese special enclosure. Same one that Solar has except have optics. Thanks!


From my iPhone

 

[thejoshdavis]

This is "white" channel only

Last night I made some changes to the mount. Removed the 18in sides and replaced them with 20in'ers. Added 2 2x4s to the feet so they are now 4.5in tall. I cut some 45s for the top but didn't have the screws to put them on. This allowed me to hang the LEDs correctly from the eye bolts.

Planning to add a safety chain with paracord or some other type of rope/chain. I also want to put the pendants on hobby pulleys to lower and raise them as needed. I may actually keep this mount the way it is and paint it black. Since the house is on the market I can't....well, don't need to hoist them from the ceiling yet.

I stopped by Jay's and borrowed a PAR meter. I have yet to crank the power up, just turned the dimmers on and that's it. At the water line I was getting in the 800s. I know that measure is no count, but still very interesting.

Corals all seem to be doing very well. Planning to clean out my filter sock tonight, do a water test on all parameters, and possibly start back on my BRS 2 part. Next week I'll move the power up to about 10% and cut my photoperiod down a few hours. Polyp extensions on the SPS is crazy with the LEDs. Hopefully I see some good growth in the next few months.

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[schooleyosis]

Is the PAR meter capable of testing underwater? Curious what you are getting 20 inches below the water line... Things are looking good man. I need to get over and see it in person!

 

[gmoney243]

Its not that the measure is no count but its between 10%-35% low

 

[Dowtish]

Looking good Josh!

All that open water space....Needs some fishies!

 

[thejoshdavis]

Oh they're in there. I do want to get a wrasse and possible another tang, maybe. I just need to tops for the tank.

Current residents:
1x yellow tang
1x blue hippo
1x purple fire fish
2x PJ cardinals
1x diamond watchman goby
1x green mandarin
1x cleaner shrimp
2x clown fish

think thats it lol

 

[revhtree Verified Admin]

Great job!

 

[Dowtish]

Ive got the 2 tops Jay let me borrow. I'll get them over to him, he has the 3rd.

 

[thejoshdavis]

Did a water test last night in prep for my WC tonight.

Phosphates are 0, nitrates are around 20 ppm. Alk is a little low at 7 dKH, calc is at 460, and pH at 8.2.

I've dosed BRS 2 part twice since the tank has been up. Added some live rock from Jay to the sump last week. This weekend I added some 45s to my light stand. Also had a deep cleaning of my RO/DI barrel and buckets.

Going on a coral recon tonight. My tubbs have vanished. Trimming back the Xenia and tossing in the sump this week. Need to get some more chaeto. Since the old sump was so small wasn't able to keep the light on long enough for it to grow, it caused way too much evaporation.

All the livestock is doing great. Maybe it's the LEDs but my yellow tang has colored up very nicely. He's a deep yellow now vs a bright light yellow. Corals are looking great, new SPS growth and my bam bam zoas are finally growing out. I think I counted 14 from the original 8-9.


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[schooleyosis]

Glad to hear things are going well. How are you liking your new lights?

 

[thejoshdavis]

Glad to hear things are going well. How are you liking your new lights?

Love them! I was very skeptical of LEDs, even more of a Chinese fixture, but they are working out very well. I'm taking the acclimation very slow. I have them all on timers now and they are running almost a "normal" photo period. Blues on at 11. Whites on at 2 and off at 7, blues off at 10. I haven't turned them up at all. The channels are just on at this point. I'm curious to know what others did or do for their LED acclimation.


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[schooleyosis]

Good to know, glad they are working out well for you. I've read numerous posts about how people light acclimate. Everything from raising or lowering the lights to putting mesh/screen tops to deflect the light and pulling of one layer of mesh at a time to allow a little more light through each week. I would think if you get your photo period to where/when you want it, then start to slowly increase the intensity a little bit every week you should be good.

 

[thejoshdavis]

That's the plan. I did notice 2 of the white sponges on the rocks look burned, but could be algae build up since my cleanup crew is almost nonexistent. When I do get another crew it will be primarily snails. I'm going to slowly pick out the crabs and move them to the sump.

 

[schooleyosis]

Going crab-less huh? Do you have many to catch?


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[bknapp]

That's the plan. I did notice 2 of the white sponges on the rocks look burned, but could be algae build up since my cleanup crew is almost nonexistent. When I do get another crew it will be primarily snails. I'm going to slowly pick out the crabs and move them to the sump.

You've got to watch them in the sump as well. I had banished a couple of the bigger hermits I had into the sump and they kept getting sucked in by my skimmer.

 

[thejoshdavis]

My skimmer is in a chamber behind where they will go. They will have to climb out of the water and over the baffle to get to it. Lol hopefully ill be lucky.


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[thejoshdavis]

Before. About 4.5-5in off the water

Now. About 9in

I have some extension cables coming in tomorrow to help clean the power up for the lights.

I use 14 links in the back and 15 links in the front. Since the cables run down it caused the fixtures to tilt back a little. Also added about half a cup of BRS pellets in a SMR1 reactor yesterday. Got my first diatoms in the tank now.


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[thejoshdavis]

Whites just kicked in. Major improvement.

Hard to tell with an iPhone picture. In person it's much better. Another note, I've managed to melt some of the Xenia however everything else in the tank is loving life. Shucks?


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[bknapp]

Might want to reconsider the BRS pellets, I believe they where recalled at one point. May want to look into that.

 

[thejoshdavis]

Might want to reconsider the BRS pellets, I believe they where recalled at one point. May want to look into that.

Well crap. I just turned it off until I can look into it.


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